Customs
Africa
Ethiopia Customs Regulations
Import & export rules, duty-free allowances, prohibited items, and traveler health advisory
$3000
Duty-free limit
200 cigs
Tobacco allowance
1 litre
Alcohol allowance
← ALL COUNTRIES
Import Regulations
- 200 Cigarettes
- 50 cigars
- 1/2 LB of tobacco
- 1 l of alcoholic beverages
- Two bottles of perfume
- Illegal drugs
- Pornographic material
- Explosives, weapons and ammunition
- All electronic items including DVD Players, recorders, computers and cell phones must be declared upon entering and leaving the country.
- Dogs and other animals will require a veterinarian good health certificate before being allowed entry into the country.
- Visitors to Ethiopia must complete a customs declaration form if bringing in large sums of cash. Travellers departing Ethiopia in possession of more than $3000 or equivalent in foreign currency must present a bank advice notice to customs officials if the currency was purchased from a local bank.
Export Regulations
- No information available
- Illegal drugs
- Pornographic material
- Explosives, weapons and ammunition
- All electronic items including DVD Players, recorders, computers and cell phones must be declared upon entering and leaving the country.
- Visitors to Ethiopia must complete a customs declaration form if bringing in large sums of cash. Travellers departing Ethiopia in possession of more than $3000 or equivalent in foreign currency must present a bank advice notice to customs officials if the currency was purchased from a local bank.
- Export certificates are required if exporting valuable animal skins or precious antiques.
Health & Security
Basic health information for travelers to Ethiopia
Basic security information for travelers to Ethiopia
🩺 Basic Health Information for Travelers to Ethiopia
- A Yellow fever vaccination is considered mandatory for any traveller visiting the country from an infected zone. Even if you are travelling from a country not infected by the disease, travellers are advised to obtain a vaccination for the disease which is endemic in the region.
- Water in the country should be considered dangerous to drink and boiled well before being drunk. Travellers are advised to stick to bottled water wherever possible. Swimming in pools or the sea is not advised owing to the significant risk of disease. Visitors should only swim in chlorinated swimming pools and seek immediate medical attention if required. Milk and other dairy products should be avoided if unpasteurized.
- Meat, vegetables and fish should be cooked thoroughly before being eaten and should be served whilst hot. Milk and dairy products should also be avoided for risk of disease. Fruit should be peeled before eaten and vendor food avoided where possible.
- Various water based diseases are present in the country including Hepatitis A, E, Typhoid and Bilharzia (schistomiasis). Travellers should obtain appropriate vaccinations prior to starting their journey and to stick to bottled water when possible to avoid the risk of illness.
- Cases of Onchocerciasis (river blindness) and Trypanosomiasis (sleeping sickness) have been reported and travellers should obtain the required vaccinations before arriving in the country.
- Malaria is a year round endemic disease which is limited to sections of the country which are below 2000m (6562ft). Travellers should buy plenty of strong insect repellent and wear clothing that exposes little in the way of skin. If infected, travellers should seek medical assistance immediately before symptoms start to develop.
- Hepatitis B is endemic to this country and all travellers are advised to take all necessary precautions when dealing with needles or engaging in sexual activity.
- Rabies is also present in this country and travellers should be wary of approaching any stray dogs or cats whose bites may contain the disease. If bitten, travellers should clean the wound with hot water and seek immediate medical attention before symptoms develop.
- Much of the country including the capital Addis Ababa is set in a high altitude which can be both extremely warm and hard to breathe in and adjust to. Travellers with heart conditions or high blood pressure should take care not to over exert themselves and to rest before slowly making way towards the lower altitudes if suffering persistent headaches or dizziness.
🛡 Basic Security Information for Travelers to Ethiopia
- Acts of petty theft and muggings are common in the Piazza or Mercato areas of Addis Ababa and are on the increase in other areas of the country also. Travellers should keep their passport and other valuables in a safe location at all times and avoid overt displays of money or jewellery which might attract unwanted attention. There are occasional acts of banditry in very remote areas. Some of the remote regions which are not usually on the tourist map suffer from political or ethnic instability and should be avoided where possible.
- Travel to any of the borders with neighbouring countries is strongly advised against owing to the current level of tension and possible violence in the regions. At time of writing, all travel to the Somali and Gambella and Afar regions and the Danakil Depression (or "Afar Triangle") in the north-east, and the Kenya/Ethiopia border region in the south should be avoided if possible for safety reasons. Travellers should also keep outside a 50km range of the Ethiopia-Eritrea border area which has a high military presence and is currently closed to both local and international travellers alike.
- Overall road standards in the country are considered poor and travellers are urged to keep a copy of their passport with them at all times and should avoid driving down poorly lit roads at night. Frequent fuel shortages can also serve to make travel outside Addis Ababa very difficult and drivers should make sure that they have enough fuel before embarking on their journey.
- Travellers should note that it is illegal to carry more than 200 birr when entering or departing Ethiopia. Individuals found to be carrying in excess of 200 birr when attempting to leave the country may be subject to prosecution. Ethiopia is a mostly cash orientated economy and whilst several hotels and commercial centres do contain ATM machines, connectivity may prove to be unreliable at times. Travellers can be fined or arrested if attempting to exchange money illegally on the black market, so all travellers should make sure that they have obtained enough cash for the duration of their visit.
- Both Muslim and Christian Ethiopians generally dress and act in a very conservative manner and travellers are urged to act in a quiet and dignified manner whilst visiting the country. All travellers should avoid clothing that exposes skin and are advised against exposing strongly held religious or political opinions in certain sections of the country.
- Homosexuality is illegal in this country and any drug related offences are treated extremely seriously by the local authorities. Travellers are urged to take care whilst in the country and to report your presence to the nearest embassy upon arrival.
Contact Information
For further assistance please contact the Ethiopia Customs authorities directly. They will provide the latest information about customs regulations and export-import procedures.
Official Website